VERY EAST HAMPTON
The challenge:
Making this Hamptons house feel less like a rental and more like a home. Except it still was available for rent, so the owners needed art wasn’t too pricey or over-the-top. Plot twist: there was one shot to see the house before it was booked for the summer.
The solution:
We took that one opportunity to see the house. There was a blizzard that day, some visibility issues, and an attempt to enter the wrong house, but we digress….
We decided this 3,500 square foot, 6 bedroom summer place needed to show off its unique architecture and feel more fun. First step was re-curated existing pieces, including flipping the abstract living room piece vertically and reinstalling in the foyer where the high ceiling was noteworthy. The ho-hum prints that were initially hung in the main spaces were moved to cheer up guest rooms where the scale was more appropriate. We sourced new options for the dining areas, primary bedroom, and kid’s rooms. A favorite was the Alessia Armeni from Italy that showcases the color of the Rome sky every hour for a 24-hour period. The siding of this piece is an unexpected bright orange, so clearly we checked the “sophisticated yet fun” box on that one.
We did a surfboard print and custom rounded maple wood frame in the primary bedroom, a wave print wallpaper and a pair of ridiculously cute kid photos in the twin room, and even some picture ledges with playful custom framed prints in the powder room. The basement was a big fat question mark because there were SO many walls and SO many bunks and it had to feel kid-friendly. Creativity struck and we pitched acquiring 100 custom rainbow boat cleats for the space to brighten it up and hang the many bathing suits, toys, towels and more that previously chilled out on the floor. That was a win.
The best part of this project was installing when the family wasn’t home. They arrived that night after we had wrapped up and the kids (and grown-ups) had an impromptu scavenger hunt to discover all the pieces- new and old- that made the place feel alive.
